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a December 28th, 2012

  1. A country mile

    December 28, 2012 by admin

    We relocated to Madison, Wisconsin from New Hampshire a few years ago.  When in NH, the closest large supermarket to our home was exactly 2.8 miles away.  According to Googlemaps, this distance would take an individual exactly 56 minutes to walk.  The walk would be through areas without sidewalks or adequate street lighting.  There was also a small, insanely overpriced town market with limited hours that was 2.1 miles away.  Our old town offered no public transportation beyond a for-hire taxi which had exactly 1 car in their fleet for the entire population.  The children in our prior area that got subsidized school meals had no BackPack program to rely on over the weekend.  Where and how did they get their Saturday and Sunday meals?

    IMG_0768We consider our NH scenario to be along the lines of existing in a food desert.  If you don’t have a vehicle at your disposal, adequate income, or support services, how do you survive?

    This made us think about how radically different our current location is here in Madison.  But yet how similarities to our old town life can still be drawn.  Pretend for a moment that you don’t have a vehicle at your disposal.  Now open your front door and think about where you are standing.  If you needed to go food shopping, how would you get to a supermarket?  In Madison, we are blessed with an extensive public bus system.  Of course, it is not free, but it is a cheap option to get from point A to point B if you don’t have a car.  But where do you pick up the bus and where does it drop you off?  Will you be herding young children and carrying bags of groceries during your trip?  And how would you get to your work if you couldn’t drive?

    In our home, we worry about people that have limited access to resources.  While we are far from wealthy, we discuss with our children that there are people living right in our own neighborhood that survive on an income a quarter or less than we get to enjoy.  Somehow, these folks make it through their day-to-day.  There are those that receive assistance from government programs, and some that privately struggle from pay check to pay check.  We support and work with organizations in our area that offer services and provide information to Madison’s disadvantaged population.  Sadly, we consistently hear complaints from friends, family, and acquaintances about the evils of government assistance and the questionable  lifestyle of ‘poor people’ in general.

    When we think about the struggles of disadvantaged people, there are some things to consider before we cast judgment on their lives.  If someone chooses to purchase soda and crackers with their SNAP (aka- food stamps) benefits, is it because they are too lazy or stupid to make different choices?  Or is it because the gas station convenience store is closer to their home and SNAP doesn’t allow for the purchase of hot food – no gas station hot dog allowed.   Walmart and other big box stores may be pervasive but they aren’t everywhere when you can’t drive .  And what about working?  Without our car, TR mom’s current job would require her to walk or bike  3.4 miles, regardless of weather or health.

    We realize that it is more than convenience, or the lack thereof, which influences life choices.  But it is a factor that should be added into the discussion.  How would your life change if you didn’t have a car or couldn’t drive?  Where would you pick up your family’s food if you lived in an area that was not served by public transportation and you had no vehicle?  Think about the neighborhood you live in now.  Are there any grocery stores and the other necessities of life within a short walk of your home?